Those who know me know that I hate riflescopes
with large objective lenses. I realize that they are generally
much brighter than a scope with a smaller objective, especially
on scopes of higher magnification. I like a clear, bright image
as much as the next guy, but the tradeoff is that scopes with
large objective lenses must be mounted too high above the
rifle’s receiver to clear the barrel. This is no problem on
rifles such as the AR-15, but on bolt action, lever action, and
single shot sporting arms, this places the scope so high that
the shooter must lift his head off the stock to see through the
thing. I prefer a good, firm contact between the comb of the
stock and my cheek. I can shoot more accurately that way, as can
most shooters. However, these days shooters want scopes with
higher magnification and brighter images, and 50 millimeter
objective lenses are very popular, even if they must be mounted
too high.

Now, there is some very good news from Leupold
for shooters who like large objective lenses. No longer must
they be mounted with high rings. They have a 3.5 to 10 power
scope with a 50mm objective lens that can be mounted anywhere
that a 33mm lens will fit! They do this by forming a small
concave section into the bottom of the objective lens so that it
may be mounted lower and still clear the barrel. The idea is so
ingeniously simple, yet seems like a great idea. When I learned
of the new scope a couple of weeks ago from Pat Mundy of
Leupold’s Marketing Department, I was delighted to give it a
try.

The model sent to me for evaluation is the 3.5
to 10x50 variable. The new model is called the VX-L, and
it has all of the newest VX features that Leupold has introduced
over the last couple of years. The VX-L also uses the dual
internal springs from Leupold’s high-end and super-rugged Mark
4 series scopes, and the internal moving parts are Titanium
Nitride coated stainless steel. The VX-L uses Argon and
Krypton instead of nitrogen gas for better internal
fog-proofing. The lens coatings are Leupold’s Index-Matched
system, and the external lens coating is the same
scratch-resistant finish given to Leupold’s high-end LPS
series scopes. Like all Leupold scopes, the optical qualities of
the VX-L are excellent.

For testing the new VX-L, I brought out my
trusted old Browning A-Bolt .30-06 for a test bed. It has
worn a Tasco World Class 2-7x32 scope for many years.
This scope was selected back in the late 1980s because I wanted
a scope on that rifle that could be mounted low, yet still
provide good magnification. The old World Class series was not a
bad scope, but in low-light conditions, it quickly showed its
limitations. I removed the top halves of the Millett
low rings, lifted the Tasco from the rings, and the new Leupold
laid right in, with still plenty of clearance between the
objective lens and barrel. In fact, a bit lower mount could have
been used. With any other 50mm scope on the market, this
would have been impossible, but with the VX-L, it worked
perfectly. What a concept! Also the image brightness between the
old scope and the new one was like……….well, like the
difference between a Tasco and a Leupold!

As can be seen in the photo, the image looking
through the scope is perfectly round. The shooter does not see
the circular notch at the bottom of the front lens. The light
transmission with the 50mm objective is very good. The surface
area lost to the notched area is less than five percent of a
true circular 50mm lens. However, the VX-L has an objective lens
surface area eighty percent greater than a 36mm lens, and can be
mounted as low or lower than that smaller lens!

The new Leupold VX-L gives today’s shooters
the brighter images and higher magnifications that they demand,
without the need for high mounts. Maintaining a proper shooting
position is conducive to better accuracy, at the bench and in
the field. A hunter can hunt right up to the legal limits of
daylight, see his target clearly, and still maintain a good
cheek-weld on the stock. Selecting a riflescope is always
a series of compromises between magnification, light
transmission, bulk, ruggedness, quality, price, field-of-view,
optical clarity, and a few other factors. While those things
must still be considered, you no longer have to give up image
brightness and optical clarity to get a scope that properly fits
the rifle. Just get the VX-L. It is built right, built in the
USA, and guaranteed forever.

Check out the extensive line of Leupold optical
products online at: www.leupold.com.

Jeff Quinn

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Click pictures for a larger version.

Leupold's new VX-L rifle scope allows a 50mm objective
lens to be mounted as low on a rifle as a 32mm lens.